Engine starter



March 1930- w. A. CHRYST ET AL 1,749,321

ENGINE START Fild June 17, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 'w. A. CHRYST El AL ENGINE STARTER March 4, 1930.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 17, 192'? IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII' T to the axis of the. shaft.

7' ipatent ed' 4,

I I UN TED STA I PAT NT OFFICE 1 ILL'IAM A. 'cHnYs'r'fANn GEORGE w- ELSEY, or-nAYroiv, onto, ASSIGNORS TO nntco- REMYcoRPoRA'rIoN, OF DAYTON, 01-110, A CORPORATION-F DELAWARE ENGINE STARTER v Application filed. June 1 7 Y 1 more "particularly to that type of'apparatus which includes an electric motor operating a shaft which is normally disconnected "from p the engine,but may be connected therewith by means includinga pinion movableal'ong the shaft into engagement with the gear-of an 'en'gineto be started and to rotate with the shaft, said connected means including provisions whereby the pinion-will be automati'-' I 'cally demeshed from the enginegear when the engine becomes self-operative.

One object of the present inventionis, to

minimize wear and breakage ofthe gear teeth providing manually operable means 1 of simpleand economical construction for mov- I ing the pinionaxially into engagement the engine gear and forrotating the pinion in case of gear tooth abutment in order that the pinion may be nearly fullymeshed with, the engine gear before the motor is operated. In our copending application Serial N 0.

145,318, filed October-3 0, l 926,we disclosed internally helically-splined pinion is slidable teeth formed in oneend of a tubular sleeve l member slidable'along the motor shaft. 'The' sleeve 'member' is moved along the shaft by a manually operated member which-closes the motor switch 7 after the pinion has been I meshed with: theengine gear. The conned. tionsbe'atween the sleeve member and the mans ,ually'operatedmember are providedby a pin.

in one member cooperating with. a; slot in the other member, said slot extending obliquely I I Movement'fof the manually operable member. is therefore cato move 'endwise alongthe shaft. As it is de- "'sirab-l'e that the-tendencyof thesleeve tomove engine starting apparatus comprisinga motor driven,'helically splined shaft upon which an.

'pable of causing the sleeve'to rotate as well as.

gear so'that sleeve may be rotated by the man 1927; Serial no. 199,596.

case of gear'tooth'abutment, friction devices are provlded' for the purpose of resisting ro- 'tation of the sleeve while permitting it to move endwisel' M The present invention'aims particularly to improve the means forresisting rotation of the-sleeve so asto render the apparatus more certain and constant in performance."

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of one'form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the'drawingsz Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view partly in longitudinal'section showing a form of eng ne starting apparatus embodying the present invention, the apparatus being shown in normal position in which the motor pinion is disconnected from the engine gear;

' Fig. 2 isasectional View on the line 22 of Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View of the pinion retaining means, on a larger scale than the other views.

Referring to the drawings, designates the field frame of an electric mot-or which is attached by any suitable means not shown to a housing 21. The field frame 20 and the housing 21 support a shaft 22 which .is operated by the electric. motor, said shaft 22 usuallybeingqan extension of the motor armature shaft. The shaft 22 is provided withspiral, splines 23 and that portion of the splines 23 which-is located between the lines 23 and 23 inFig. 1 is slightly smaller in diameter than the diameter of the remaining ually operable member to thefullest extent in spirally splined portion. The shaft 22 isprovided with an annular grove24, which receives the wire split ring 25. The shaft 22 cooperates with thrust washer 2 6 bearing against a machined surface 27 provided by the housing 21. r p

A driving memberv or pinion 30, which is provided internally with spiral splines, is mounted to slide longitudinally along the shaft 22 into engagement with a rotatable member or flywheel gear 31 of an: engine tobe started. Normally the pinion 30 is out of mesh with engine gear 31 and is supported by that portion of the splines, 23 which is of smaller diameter, namely that portion located between the lines23 and23 Thesplined' portion of smaller diameter is connected with the splined portion of larger diameter by shoulder portions 32, which serve as obstructions tending to prevent drifting of the pin-' ion into engagement with engine gear while the engine is running; .When lJlIG PlIIlOH is 1n full mesh with the engine. gear,'the wire. split ring 25 will be received by an annular groove 33 provided onthe interior of the pinion hub.

As the pinion is moved toward the right i of the drawings into engagement with the ring 25, said ring is first engaged by an annu larf abutment 34 of smaller internal diameter thanthe normal external diameter of the ring- 25. As the pinion is forced against the ring,

the ring will be contracted slightly in order comes self-operative and the pinion is auto-.

that the obstruction 34 may passoverit. Then the ring will expandinto; the'groove 33 as'shown in Fig. 6. Whenthe engine bematically demeshed from the engine gear,'

' the ring 25 will contract, again to permit the obstruction 34 to pass beyond it. In this way the pinion 30 is yieldingly maintained in sub stantially full mesh with the enginegear 31 so that, during the engine'cranking opera 'tion, axial movement of thepinion, due to momentary reversals in the direction of force transmission between the pinion 30 and the gear 31, will be practically. eliminated. These reversals 'arenoticeable particularly in en- I gines having relatively few. cylinders and plunger 43 of a starting motor switch'44, the

casing .45 of whichijs secured to the field frame 20 by screws 46. The. lever arm 42" is connected with a pedal .47, which extends through a cup-shaped member 48 carried by the floor board' 49 of the automobile. A

spring 50, which is located between themember 48 and the head of the rod 47, tends to maintain the lever 42 in the position shown in Fig. 1

In order that the pinion 30 maybe moved into mesh'with the enginegear 31 beforethe' motor switch is closed, means are provided for transmitting motion from-the lever42 to the pinion 30so that the pinion .will be moved endwise into mesh with-gear 31and'will be rotatedin case the teeth of the pinion collide with the end faces'of the teeth of the gear 31,

said means being so constructed and arranged that'the motor switch cannot be closed until; I the pinionhas been substantially meshed with the engine gear, and sothat therewill be .no 3

interference with demeshing' 'of the pinion from theengine gear after the engine starts,

although the lever 42 may still be maintained in operating position. J The motiontransmitx ting means comprise chiefiytwo members, an

actuator 'memberand a pinion engaging. w

member, which are connected for movement together, longitudinally oflthe shaft so that 1 i one of themembers may engage the pinion 30 to move it'into mesh with thegear 31, the connectionhetween saidmemhers being such that in case motion of the pinion is arrested by the ,enginegear, one of the members will" I impart rotary motion to the ,othermemher; which engages the pinion; The pinion 611-;

gaging member and pinion provide axially engaging clutching devices so thatthe rotary;

motion produced motion transmitting means will beimparted to thepinionl The actuator member' -for the pinion engaging iqo member is provided by an actuating pin or stud 51" whic'h is attached to thearm 42 of the actuating lever '42 and the pinion engaging member is a sleeve 52 which is provided with a slot 53 located obliquely to the axis of the shaft22 and adapted to receive the pin 51. I i

The sleeve 52 may also betermedan'engagepinion 30 axially into contact" with theiengine gear 31 andirotates the pinion when fi vment-producing member'since movesthe: u I

necessaryto eflect drivingfengagementwith the/gear.

'The sleeve 52 is.provided withteeth 54. r.

which'function as adrivingclutch member for axially engaging a driven clutch member pro vided by beveling, asshown at 55 in Fig. 4;

the ends of the teeth of the pinion 3O inorder 1 to provide clutch teeth'56. In'the particular form of theinvention shown in th'edrawings the pinion is a ninetooth pinion and hence is) provided-with nine clutch teeth 56. -The'fi sleeve 52 may be-provided withnine teeth 54',

but, if it is desirable to reduce the maximum of lost rotary motionbetween the clutch meni- 1 hers, the sleeve may have a multiple-of the v number ofteeth 56,for' example eighteen teeth, as shown.

The sleeve 52-is formed preferably from blank or; punching of flat sheet materialas shown in Fig. 3. The blank is provided i'ni-l tially withthe teeth 5tand the slot 53 and I with a dovetail. tang 57 adapted to be received by dovetail notch 58.- The blank shown in t 5 Fig. 3, is, formed-into a cylinder, the tang 57 being .received by the notch 58 in order to prevent opening. the joint of the cylinder. .The sleeve 52 is'supported by a hub 60 carry- 1 ing spaced discs 61 and 62 which define an followsz I V Normally the starting apparatus is in the jpositionshown in Fig. l in which the pinion 3O is demeshed froin'the engine gear and the motor switch is open. To start the engine thepedal 47 is depressedthereby causing the lever 42 torotate counter-clockwise in order. to move the pin 51 and the sleeve52 longitudinally of the shaft and to the right of the drawings, Dueto the use of means to be described forresisting rotation of the sleeve initially while permitting it to move longitudinally, the sleeve 52 will move toward the rightgand the clutchteeth 54 will engage the clutch teeth 56 provided bythe pinion 30. In case the pinion teeth abut the ends of the gear teetlnnlotionof'the sleeve 52 will be arrested; but, if the operator continues to, press thepedaldl, the pinion 30 will be rotated .due to the cooperation of the pin 51 c with theedge 5350f the oblique-slot 53' of the a sleeve. vThe edge 53 constitutes camming meansprovided by the sleeve or engagementproducing memberv 52 cooperating with the actuator or pin- 51,-so'thatmovement of the actuator along theshaft 22 will tend to rotate the member 52 andto move it axially into 00-,

l faction with the driving memberorpinion 30. 'When thepinion teeth register with the gear toothspace ofthegear 31,- the pinion 30 will move into meshwith the gear 31. After the ,pinionhas been nearly meshed with the gear "3 1, the lever arm 42* "will engagethe switch plunger 43 and them ot'or switch 44 will be clesed as shown in Fig. 4. When this occurs, the shaft 22"will .be rotated in a clockwise ,direction as viewed from the. right Ofthe A in Figs. 1 and 4,-thereby-causing the pinion 30 tojbe moved away from thesleeve 52 and. into engagement with the ring 25.. Then the pinion .30 will :rotate with the shaft 22 and L the engine theengine. 1V I i Y p When the enginefbecomes self-operative the pinion will be automatically demeshed as; shown in D-emeshing will occur although the operator may maintain pressure uponthe pedal l'l, as it isapparent from gear 31will be rotated-to crank The, method of using the invention is as will he moved to normal axial v such as corlr, and a brake disc drawlngs andas indicated the arrows? O 1 Figs. 4 and 5 that the sleeve 52 is free to move toward the left in order not to interfere with the Idemeshing of the pinion. WVhile the pin and slot connections between the sleeve and the lever permit movement of the sleeve by the pinion when the pinion is demeshed from the engine gear, this operation does not always occur. It happens more frequently that the sleeve 52 is returned to normal position before the engine becomes self-operative.

This feature of the invention is due to the fact that there is always some friction be tween the sleeve hubv60 and the shaft 22; therefore when the shaft 22 is operated by the motor, the hub 60 and sleeve 52 will be rotated in the direction of the arrow 70 while the pin 51 is maintained in the position shown in Fig. 4. Consequently the rotation of the shaft 22 before the engine becomes self-operative will cause the sleeve 52 to be threaded along the pin 51 and to be moved into the retracted position shown in Fig. 5. llierefore demeshlng of the pinion will take place without any engagement between the clutch teeth 54 and 56. The edge 53 of the oblique slot 53 therefore constitutes a caminine means provided by the sleeve or 'engagen'ient-producing member 52 and cooperating withthe actuator or pin 51 in a manner such that, while the pin remains stationary and the sleeve 52 is rotateddue to frictional engagement with the shaft 23, the sleeve 52. will be automatically retracted from the driving member or pinion 30 and position relative to the shaft 28. I

After the operator releases the pedal 47, the sprin will be released to move the pedal upwardly and to return the lever 42 to the position shown in Fig. 1. During this operation a spring 4.3 will be released to move the switch plunger 43 from the position shown in Fig. i to that shown in Fig. 1 in order to open the motor switch. Means cooperatingwith the sleeve 52 and beginning of itsmovement from non-operating position, or toward the right from the position shown in Fig.1; This means comprisesa metal brake disc 80 fixed to the shaft 22 a floating disc 81 of yieldable material, I provided by the flange 82 of the disc 62. The parts 80, 81. and-82 are maintained normally in engagement by the spring 50, which urges the lever arm 42 toward the left as viewed in n 1.1 Hence, normally, the brake memhere 80, 81 and 82 tend to maintain the sleeve fixed relative to the shaft 22. lVhen the lever arm .2 begins its movement toward the right, the brake members are apparently not instantly disengaged, but tend to resist rotation of the sleeve 52 after the sleeve has bethe, cork disc 81 expands axially sufliciently to maintain friction between the brake members after motion of the sleeve. has begun. Since resistance to endwise movement'of the sleeve is overcome before removing reslstance to rotation of the, sleeve, the tendency of the sleeve to move endwise will be greater,

initially, than the tendency for the sleeve to" rotate. Hence the possibility of the sleeve rotating without moving endwise has been reduced. i v V The brake members 80, 81 and 82 cooperate with the pinion shifting mechanism for the further purpose of bringing the motor shaft 22 quickly to rest after the operator releases the pedal 47. It is apparent that the spring 50 will urge the brake member 82 toward the brake members Sland 80. Since the brake member 82 is prevented from rotating freely with the shaft 22 by reasonof engagement of the pin 51 with thesl'eeve 52, the brake disc '82 will function as'a stationary brake member cooperating with the movable brake disc quickly to arrest motion of the shaft 22. In

v case the engine should make a false start, that is, if the engine should become selfoperative for a time sufficient to demesh the pinion 30-from the gear 31 but should not continue to be self-operative, the operator will not need to wait for a substantial period to elapse for the motor shaft to stop rotating before repeating the pinion shifting opera tion. in case of a false start, the operator may release the pedal to restore the gear shifting mechanism to normal condition, and then may almost immediately ,depress the 'pedal'to repeat the starting operation.

A means for resisting rotation of the engagement-producing member or sleeve 52 during a substantial part of its movement from normal toward the pinion 30comprises.

a plunger 90 I guided by. a recess 91 in the housing 21 and pressedby a spring 92 against a lug 93 carried by the disc 62. As shown in Fig.2, the lug 93 provides cylindrical surfaces 93 and 93 concentric with the sleeve 52 but of different radii. These surfaces are joined by an oblique surface'93" providing a longitudinally extending shoulder. Su'rface'93 merges into a surface 93 of different curvature and center of curvature the end portion of which is nearer to the sleeve than theinner end of .theplunger 90 when the lug is moved away from it Normally the plunger-'90 bears againstthe surface 93 Movement of the pin 51 toward the rightin Fig. 1 tends to turn the sleeve clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2, but this'movement is resisted by friction betwe'enthe end of the 'lun er 90 and the surface 93? also b fric-- P s 7 tion between the plunger 90 and the surface 93 in case the sleeve turns to permit this, and

also by-the increase in resistanceof thei spring-92 in case the surface 93 cams the plunger 90 towardthe right as viewed '111 face Fig.2.. The surfaces of the lug areparallel to axis of the sleeve 52 to permit endwise movement. of the sleeve. Then the sleeve has moved sufficiently to cause the-pinion 30 to contact with the engine gear Sl -the lug 93 will have been moved away from the vertical plane of the plunger 90, so that the sleeve may be freelyrotated in caseof gear tooth.

abutment. 7 After the engine becomes self-operative and before the pedal 47 has been released as shown in Fig. 5, the sleeve 52 will have been moved into. suchpositi'on that the lug93 is approximately vertically below" axis of the sleeve 52. When the pedal 47' is released the moves toward the left of the drawings, the

sleeve 52*will be rotated counterclockwise as V viewed in Fig. 2 due to the coaction between the pin 51 and the edge 53 of the slot 53.1 lls the lug 93, rotates in this direction the sur-.

faces 93, 93', 93 -and 93* successively engage cs 93, as it extends away from the surface 1- r21. 93 is located moreclosely to the axisof the sleeve 52. As the edge of surface 93 rotates vast the end of lun er 90 counter-clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2, the'end of theplunger 90 will be caught bysurface' 93 'and will be cammed' upon the surface 93,andwillthere-- theplunger 90. It will be noted that the surspring 50 will restore the slee e 52 t the position shown in Fi 1, A th pin after be permitted to ride down upon the shoulder 93 and to rest finally upon the sur- The slot edge 53 therefore consti-' tutcs a cainming inea'ns which coacts with the actuator or pin 51 in such manner that when, the pin 51 is restored to normal position, the sleeve: or engagement-producing meinber-52 willbe restored to normal'position angularly relativeto the shaft 22. and

the rotation resisting device'provided by the plunger 9 0 and the'shoulder 93 will be restored to normal 'operativeness. v 1

In case of back-fire durin'g rthe gear meshiiig operation, the pinion will be moved to ward the right fromthepositionshown in clutchteeth.

Fig and out ofengagement with the sleeve "Fromth'e foregoing description ofthe con struction and th'e mode of operation of the presentfinvention, it will be apparentthat' the invention possesses the advantages of simplicity and durability of construction and reliability of operation; "The number of parts required for the starter drive is very plicity' o'fconstruction the parts may be made relativelyurugged andsubstantial and theresmall they may be constructed and as-l sembled atvery low cost. Owing to the sim-.

over-running clutch to permit disconnection of the engine "forothe motor armature shaft when the engine becomes self-operative.

Since the starter drive'provides no obstruc- -tion'-' to .the demeshing movement of the v pinion the apparatuswill be relativelyquiet in operation. I

lNhile the form of embodiment of the pres-' ent invention as herein disclosed, constitutes .a preferred'iform, it is to beunderstood that incombination, a-motor; a shaft operated.

other forms might-be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows: 7 1. Engine starting apparatus comprising,

bythemotor ;:-means for connecting the shaft with tliefgear'ofan engine to be started and including a pinion mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith and provisions whereby the-[pinion will be automatically demeshed from the enginegear when the engine starts; fmeans for shifting the pinlon endwlse into mesh with the engine gear and for rotating the pinion in case the pinion teeth collide with the enginegear" teeth, said means ineluding a sleeve'mova ble along the shaft and provided with slot obliqueto the shaft, and

a pin movable longitudinallyof the shaft and engaging the slot, whereby the pin and sleeve -mayrmove, together to move the pinion into I r mesh'with the engine gear and whereby the E sleeve may be rotated in case movement thereofis obstructed, said sleeve and pinionhav- ,ing clutching means for imparting rotation to the pinion; a frame adjacentthe sleeve; and means tendlngto res strotation ofithe sleeve and comprising frictionally engage able parts one carried by the frame and the other connected with the sleeve. I

' 2; Enginestarting apparatus according to claim 1' in which the means tending to resist rotation of the sleeve comprlses a sprlng pressed element engageable with another element, one of said'elements being carried by the frame and the other being connected with claim 1 in which-the means tending to resist rotat1on] of the! sleeve comprises a spring 1 pressed plunger carried by the frame and engageablewith a bug connected with the sleeve.

4.-Engine starting apparatus according to claim 1 in whichthe means tending to resist rotation of the sleeve comprises a spring pressedaplunger carried by the frame an-d'engagea'ble with the lug connected with the sleeve, the lug having a surface extending parallel to'the axis ofthe sleeve and oblique thereto and engage-ablewith the plunger.

5. Engine starting apparatus comprising,

in combinatiorna motor; ashaft operated by the motor; means for connecting the shaft with; the gear of anengine to be started and by the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine starts; meansfor shifting the pinion endwise into mesh with the engine gear and for rotating the pinion in case the pinion teeth collide withthe engine gear teeth, said means including a sleeve movable along the shaft and provided with slot oblique to the shaft, and a pin movable longitudinally of the shaft andengaging the slot, whereby the pin and sleeve maymove together to move the pinion into mesh with the engine gear and whereby the sleeve may be rotated in case movement thereof is obstructed, said sleeve and pinion having clutching means for imparting rotation to the pinion; and means tending frictionally to resist rotation of the sleeve during a substantial portion of the movement of the sleeve toward the pinion, said means being inoperative while the pinion is rotated by the sleeve in case of gear-tooth abutment.

6. Engine starting apparatus according to claim 5 in which the sleeve carries a lug of substantial width which is engaged by a relatively stationary, resiliently urged plunger only during a substantial portion of the movement of the sleeve toward the pinion. 7. Engine starting apparatus according to claim 5 in which the sleeve carries a lug of substantial width which is engaged by a relatively stationary, resiliently urged plunger only during a substantial portion of the movement of the sleeve toward the pinion, the lug having cylindrical surfaces concentrio with the axis of the sleeve joined by an ber axially, and for rotating it when necessary to effect its driving engagement with the engine member, said means including a rotatable engagement-producing member mounted for movement axially of the driving member, ac-

tuating means tending both to'rotate and to move longitudinally the engagement-produc ing member, andfrictional means including a non-rotatable part tending to resist rotation of the en gagement-produoing member.

9. An engine starter drive comprising, a rotatable driving member mounted to move axially into driving engagement with a member of the engine to be started; and manually member. g I

10. An engine starter drive comprising, a'

operated means for moving the driving member axially, and for'rotating it when, necessary to effect its driving engagement with the engine member, said means including a rotatable engagement-producing member mounted for movement axially of the driving member, an actuator movable in the direction of axial movement of the engagement-producing member, means for transmitting motion from the, actuator to the engagement-producing .member tending to move the latter rotarily and longitudinally, and frictional means including anon-rotatable part tending to reengagement-producingsist rotation of the rotatable driving member mounted to move axially into driving engagementwith a mem ber of the engine to be started ,and manually operated means for moving the driving member axially, and for rotating it when necessary to effect its driving engagement with the engine member, said means including a rotate able, engagement-producing membermounted for movement axially of the driving member and provided with a part oblique toits line of axial movement, an actuator engageable with said oblique part to tend both to rotate and to move axially the engagementproducing member,and a non-rotatable part engageable with the engagement producing member to resist rotation thereof.

11. An engine starter drive comprising, a rotatable driving member mounted to'move axially into driving engagement with a member of the engine to be started; and manually operated means for moving the driving member axially, and for rotating. it when necessary to effect itsdriving engagement with the engine member, said means including,'a tubular, rotatable, engagement-producing member mounted a, for movement axially of the driving member and provided with a slot oblique to its line of axial movement, an actuator pin engageable with said slot and movable substantially in the direction of axial movement of the driving member in order to tendboth to rotate and to move axially the engagement producing member, and a nonrotatable part engageable with the engagement-producing member tov resist rotation thereof.

12. An engine starter drive comprising, a

driving shaft, a driving member connected with the shaft for rotary movement therewith and longitudinal movement thereof into driving engagement with a member of the engine to be started; andmanually operated means for moving the driving member along the shaft and for rotating it, when necessary, to effect its driving engagement with theengine member, said means including an engagement-producing member movable along the shaft and rotatable independently thereof, actuatingmeans tending both to rotate sist rotation of the member. o

and to move longitudinally the engagement producing member, and friction means including anon-rotatable part tending'to re- 13. "An engine'starter drive comprising, a. driving shaft, a drlvingmember connected with the shaft for rotary movement there-.

with and longitudinal movement thereofinto; 7

driving engagement with, a member of the engine to be started; and manually operated means for movingthe driving member along theshaft, and for rotating it when necessary, I to efiect its driving engagementwith :the

engine member, said means including an engagement producing member movable along the shaft and rotatableindependently there-v of, an actuator movable alongside the shaft, means for transmitting motion from the'ac tuator tothe engagement-producing membertending to move thelatter rotarily and longitudinally, and frictional Eme'ans includ-v inga non-rotatable part tending to resist ro-' tation of the engagement-producing member.

1%, Anenginegstarter drive comprising, 3;, drivingshaft, a driving member connected with the shaft for rotary movement thereengagement producing with and longitudinal movement thereof into driving engagementv wit-ha member of the engine tobe started; and manually operated means for moving the driving member along the shaft, and for rotating it when necessary, to effect-its driving engagement with the engine member, said means including 1 a tubular, en agement-produclng member movable along the shaft and rotatable independently thereof and 'providedwith a part oblique tothe line ofaxialmovement of the drivingmeinber, an actuator-movable alongside the shaft and engageable with i said oblique part to tend to move the engagementproducing member rotarily and longitudinally, and a non-rotatable partcooperating with tact with the pinion and rotatable independe entlyof the shaft, means rotatively connect ing themember and pinion, actuating means tending to rotate and axially move the mem-- ber, and a non-rotatable part cooperating, with the member to resist rotation thereof.

16. An engine-starter drive comprising, a drive shaft, a pinion; connected with and movable axially along the shaft into engage-f ment with a. gear connected" with the engine '7 to be started and manuall erated means 7 V for moving the pinion along the shaft,- and for rotat ng it when necessary,lt o effect drlvingengagementwith the engine gear, said means {including a Cylindrical engagementproducing member mounted to move along the shaft toward the pinion and having means clutching with the pinion to rotate the latterand having a part Oblique to its line of axial movement, an actuator movable along, the shaft for engaging the oblique part pinionand having an annular row of clutch in order totend bothto rotate and to axially move thememben'anda non-rotatable part cooperating with the member to resist rotafor m'olving'the' 'ainion along-the shaft, and for rotating it when necessary, to eiiect driving engagement'with the engine gear,-said means including atubular engagement-pro- I duoing member mounted upon the shaft and movable axially into engagement with the gteeth engageable with the pinion teeth in order tofrotatethe pinion, said member having a slot "oblique to the line of axial movement or the pinion, a pin movable alongthe shaft a and received by the oblique slot whereby the pin tends "to rotate and toaxially move the member, and-a stationary part cooperating with the member to resist rotation thereof.

18. An engine starter drive comprising, a drive shaft; a pinion connected with and movable axially alongtheshaft into engage- "mentwith a gear connected with the engine to be started; and manually operated means for moving the pinlon along the shaft, and for rotating-1t whennecessary, to effect driving engagement with the engine gear, said means including an engagement-producing member movable axiallyof the shaftinto contact withthe pinion and rotatable indemy pendently of the shaft, means rotatively connecting the member and, pinion, actuating means tendings to rotate and axially move the member, a part'connected with the member andproviding a longitudinal extending shoulder between surfaces located at differ ent distances from the axis of the member,

and a stationary plunger spring urged normally against the surfacelying at the lesser distance from the axis of the member and engageable with said. shoulder in order to tendto resist rotation of the member. I

i 19. An engine starter drive comprising, a driving sl 1aft,a driving member connected with the shaft for rotary movement there with andlongitudinalmovement thereof into driving engagement with a member of'the engine to be started; and manually operated means for moving the driving member along drive comprising, a

stationary plunger spring urged normally against the surface lying at the lesser distance from the axis of the member and engageable with said shoulder in order to tend to resist rotation of the member.

20 An engine starter drive comprising, a rotatable driving member mounted to move axially into driving engagement with a member'of the engine to be started; and manuallyoperated means for moving the driving member axially, and for rotating it when necessary to effect its driving engagement with the engine member, said means includ ing a rotatable engagement-producingmember mounted for movement axially of the driving member, actuating means tending both to rotate and to move longitudinally the engagementproducing member, a part connected with the member and providing a longitudinal extending shoulder between surfaces located at'different distances from the axis of the member, and a stationary plunger spring urged normally against the surface lying at the lesser distance from the axis ofv the member and engageable with said shoulder'in order to tend to resist rotation of the member. y

21. An engine starter drive comprising, a rotatable driving member mounted to move axially into driving engagement with a member of the engine to be started, and providing an axially engageable driven clutch element; a rotatable member providing a driving clutch element axially engageable with the driven clutch of the driving member means for moving the driving clutch axially toward the driven clutch and for rotatinglthe latter in case its axial movement is obstructed; and'frictiongmeans including afixed part tending to resist rotation of the driving clutch. I

22. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor; a shaft operated by the motor; means for connecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started and including a P1111011 mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith and provisions whereby necessary, to effect its engagement with the gear; said means including a rotatable, and

' axially movable engagement-producing memmember mounted upon the shaft, actuating means tendmg both to rotate and to axially ber mounted upon the shaft, actuating means tending both to rotate and to axially move the member, and means including a non-rotatable;

part for frictionally resisting rotation of the member.

y 23. Engine starting apparatus comprising, 7

in combination, a motor; a shaft operated by the motor means for connectin the shaft 7 c with the gear of an engine to be started and including a pinion mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith and provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine starts; and manually operated mean'sfor moving the pinion axially and for rotating it, when necessary, to efiect its engagement with the gear, said meansincluding a rotatable and axially movable engagement-producing move the member, and means for resisting ro-' tation of the member while the pinion is being moved thereby into contact with the engine gear, said means being inoperative while the 7 member is rotating the pinion;

24. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combinatioma motor; means for connecting the motor with the gear of an engine to be started and including a'pinion movable axially into engagement with the gear, and provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed, when the engine starts; a rotatable member movable coaxially with respect to the pinion and having means for axially engagingthe pinion and forrotating the pinion; actuating means for moving the member into contact with the.

pinion and the pinion into contactwith the gear and for rotating thememberto rotate Y the pinion, when necessary, to efiect gear 'producing member that movement of themeshing; and means for resisting rotation ofthe member wlnle the pmion is being moved by said member into contact with the actuator from normal position tends to rotate and to axially move the engagementproducing member, into coaction with the driving member, and rotation of the engagementproducing member in one direction while the actuator is relatively stationary causes axial movement of the engagement-producing,

member away from coaction with the driving member, and return of the actuator to normal position produces rotation of the engagement-producing member to normalposition; a power operated rotatable element for turning the driving member and having frictional engagement with the engagement-producing memberfor turning the samein such direction-that it will be axially retracted from coaction with the driving member; and a device for resisting rotation of the engagement-producing member during a part of its movement from normal position into coactionwith the ClIlVlIlg member, said device being restoredto operation *by the return rotation of the engagement-producing mem- 1 her to normal position.

26. An engine starter with the shaft engineto be started an engagement-producdrive comprising, a drive shaft; a driv ng member connected for rotary movement there with'and longitudmal movement'thereof into driv ng engagement w th a member of-the ing, member journalledupon the shaft and movable axially into coaction with the drivingmember, and yieldably connect ed' with the shaft so that rotation of the shaft tends to rotate it; an actuator movable along the shaft; meansso connecting the actuator and engagement-producing member that movement of 'the actuator fromlnormal position tends to rotate, and to axially fmove'the' engagement-producing member into coaction with the driving member, and rotation of'the engagement-producing member by the shaft f when operating the driving member while the actuator is relatively stationary causes axialretraction of the engagement-producing member fromthe driving member, and i return of the actuator to normal position produces rotation of the engagement producmg member to normal position and a device for resisting rotation of the engagement producing member during'a part of its'mo've- "men't from normal position into coaction with the driving member, said device being restored to operation'by the return rotation of the engagement-producing member to normal position.

27. An engine starterdrive comprising,;a

rotatable driving member mounted to move axially 1nto dr1v1ng engagement with a member of the engineto be started; an axially and rotarily movable engagement-producing member for moving the driving member ax-' ially, and rotatively when necessary, to effect its driving engagement with the engine 1? driven member; an actuator movable along the engagement-produclng member; camming means connected with the engagement producing member and coacting with the actuating member so that movementof the ac- "tuating member away from normal position tends to rotate andvto axially move the en-' gagement-producingmember into coaotion with the driving member; a device for resist- 7 ing rotation of the" engagement-producing member during a part of its axial movement With the actuator for restoring the engageand the rotation-resisting-device to normal operation in response to the return of the 'actuating'memberto normal position.

" signatures.

In testimony whereof we hereto aflix our I .,WILLIAM A. OHRYST; I "GEORGE W. ELSEY. 

